Every day is a winding road
by Pacerpaw
Summary: Rhinox must make a tough decision, but what does that have to do with two Predacons? And why does he think Waspinator was lucky this time? Part two in a triology. Edited. On hiatus.


**Every Day is a winding road**  


By Pacerpaw

  
  


**Chapter 1**

  


_Fan in on jungle terrain blended with strange looking but seemingly natural rocky glades._

  
  


Here comes the sun. All is eerie silent, but it's not the calm after an eventless night. No luck there. There is no living organic creature as far as you can see or hear. Well, at least none of them were damaged or killed and that is a comfort at least.

For roughly fifteen cycles ago we fought the Predacons again. Yup, the same old story. I don't mind fighting but I like peace, and calm days enjoying life and all it has to offer. I'm not a warrior at spark like Dinobot, a fact he keeps pointing out. Usually I just nod, shrug and go back to whatever I'm doing. It's true.

I didn't know what Scorpinok, Black Arachnia and Waspinator were after when Dinobot contacted me, but by the time I showed up to help him and Rattrap it was obvious they mined for energon. We had to be careful and aim with care, not exactly the ideal situation. It looked as if it was going to be one of those long drawn out fights and I wasn't exactly looking forward to it. Neither was Rattrap who loudly declared his heh colorful opinion about the whole mess. Dinobot on the other hand emitted a loud snarl over Rattraps complaints.

I grumbled at them to knock It off in my usual manner as I kept Black Arachnia busy. Those cyber venom arrows of hers hurt like slag and I didn't want to give her a chance to use them on us. It's interesting that a small beauty can be so deadly and poisonous. Hmm.

I didn't use use my chain guns because a few stray shots from those monsters could have blown us all to scrap! Instead the spare quasar gun I once borrowed from Cheetor came in handy once again. The kid insisted on letting me keep it as a gift after Rattrap and I gave him and Optimus cover fire in the beginning of this war. Days like these I'm certainly glad he did.

The battle was cut short however as Scorpinok accidentally hit a large energon crystal and everything including him went boom on his side of the large, rocky glade! We dove for cover, and I shielded my face with an arm as the explosion lit up the early, dark morning sky! As the smoke began to clear I glanced around, hoping that Dinobot had gotten clear of the immediate blast area and what do ya know, he had. Rattrap's curses beside me only confirmed that he was all right. 

Black Arachnia was close enough to be thrown across the area like some dead weight and was no better off then Scorpinok from the looks of it! Man, what a way to go down! As much as I'd like to hate them for what they have done to us time and again, I felt only pity and a tinge of regret for being a part of this war. I know we must fight for our survival and the future but that grim fact doesn't make it any easier when you see seriously wounded near death no matter if it's your comrades and friends or your bitter enemies. 

Dinobot had shot down Waspinator the moment before the explosion, so bug-eyes was clear of the clearing so to speak. I'm sure Waspy would disagree but I say in a way he was very lucky he was shot down or he would be no better off then the other two! 

I told Rattrap and Dinobot to head back for the Axalon while I covered the rear, should Waspinator get up and try something. At least that was the excuse I conveniently used. If I told them what I was considering to do, Dinobot would probably call me a typical Maximal fool who has grown soft in the circuits then growl and demand I reconsider it. Not that I would, but anyway. I want no distractions, nobody telling me what I should do right now.

The other Predacons have not shown up yet. And given the coordinates of this grid I seriously doubt they, well Tarantulas anyway, will be able to make it here in time to save these two. They won't stand a chance of surviving if their condition continues past half a megacycle! Stasis lock only lasts a limited time with damage this serious.

They never had a chance to transform back to beast mode which makes it even worse. Slag. Someone should help them, and since I'm the only 'someone' here it's up to me. Ah. Why me? Sigh. I knew the answer to that question before I asked it. Silly me. 

But who am I to judge who should live and die? I'm not a judge and jury all rolled up in one! I am a scientist and an engineer with the skills of a medic. In my youth I worked as a medic before joining the Cybertronian army. After some time there I moved on, eventually becoming an engineer and respected scientist. 

My life has been a long winding road of learning and crossroads. Every solid choice we make affects us for the rest of our lives. I should know. 

Black Arachnia was a Maximal protoform, one of our crew members. As it is, if I save her and leave Scorpinok to his fate...I shake my head at the thought. No. If I save one then I must try to save the other. That's the way it's gotta be. Even though I feel torn. As a soldier, duty and loyalty to the team comes first. As medic and fellow bot, I feel it's right to save another's life no matter what their allegiance is.

The moment I kneel by Black Arachnias side and begin to work on her open wounds, a thought runs through my mind, almost like a mantra:

_When a spark goes online there is great joy. When one's extinguished, the universe weeps._

  
  


---

  


Slightly altered version.

  
  



End file.
